Kate Spade's death and the unintentional consequences of suicide coverage

Kate Spade's death is a tragedy. It became a spectacle.

In the hours after police announced the fashion designer had died, many news outlets reported graphic details of her suicide. Many readers hunted down those details, trying to dissect an act that seems incomprehensible, to weave together a story with no easy lessons. But for people who have contemplated suicide, the rehashing of these details can mean the difference between life and death.

Mental health experts say exposure to media coverage of a high-profile suicide, especially coverage which fixates on the gratuitous details of a person's death, can lead to more suicides. It's called "suicide contagion."

"When we cover suicide irresponsibly, we actually make the problem worse because there are things in suicide stories that are scientifically proven to create a contagion effect," said Kelly McBride, vice president at The Poynter Institute and the organization's resident expert on suicide reporting. "We have a moral obligation to find an alternative [way] to tell the story."

Among the mistakes McBride said the media made covering Spade:

• Excessive detail, including the method and the contents of her suicide note.
• Photos showing Spade's body being transported on a gurney. 
• Sensationalizing the story by including the means of death (suicide by hanging) in headlines. "If you feel compelled to state the means of death ... you need to do it in a way that doesn't make it the focal point." 

Suicides rose nearly 10% higher than expected in the months following Robin Williams' death in August 2014, according to a Columbia University study in February. Suicides involving the method Williams used (suffocation) spiked 32% over that time, suggesting news coverage of the actor's death may have played a role. 

"When there is a high-profile suicide, the media obviously can't ignore talking about this person's death. How they talk about it, however, is very important," said John Draper, director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. "Most obituaries read about not how the person died, but what their life was like."

McBride worries irresponsible reporting on celebrity suicides may worsen in a media environment where headlines are written to break through social media algorithms and thousands of websites compete for readers' attention. Responsible reporting on suicide, she says, should shift "the focus from the individual to the universal," and emphasize "it is something that can be prevented." 

Draper said the media can have a demonstrable positive impact, especially when it provides resources for people struggling with suicidal thoughts, noting "an increase in calls" when the lifeline number is shared.

"That's been a hugely positive effect of media doing the right thing in reporting," said Draper.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention says on average, there are 123 suicides per day. For every one person who dies by suicide, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline says there are 280 people who think about it.

Draper said it's critical people know that the majority of those experiencing suicidal thoughts get through the crisis, and there are actions everyone can take to help prevent suicide, he said.

Risk factors include:

• Mental disorders
• Depression
• A prior suicide attempt
• Family history

Warning signs include: 

• Talking about wanting to die or about feeling hopeless, lacking purpose, being in pain or being a burden
• Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs
• Sleeping too little or too much
• Withdrawing or exhibiting anxiety
• Displaying rage, recklessness or extreme mood swings

"Turn your curiosity into something productive," McBride said. "As a reader, yeah, [suicide] is unfathomable, and the reason it's unfathomable is because you don't understand suicide, because if you really understood ... you would realize that not only is it common, but that people you know are having suicide ideations, and you can help them."

If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts you can call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) any time of day or night or chat online.

You may also be interested in:

• Suicide is one of the nation's top killers. When will we start acting like it?
• To connect with suicide survivors and others, join USA TODAY's Facebook group I Survived It
• What actually happens when you call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
• How to help someone who's suicidal